A Sweeter Essence
by pammazola
Summary: Hei had never considered the policewoman Kirihara as a permanent figure in his life, nor a possible one for the future. Though, perhaps there has always been a special bond between them. A story about the subtle connection of food and companionship. HeixMisaki, with vague HeixYin and NovemberxMisaki.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Darker than BLACK.**

**A/N: This is a short oneshot giftfic for my best friend Kristie. Without her I'd never have discovered DTB, and I've been meaning to write her a story anyhow. XD Here's to you and Thomas. **

**Setting: Includes the events that occurred during **_**Gemini of the Meteor**_** towards the end of this story, but timeframe really isn't all that important. This is also my first attempt in writing the characters from this universe. Any reviews with constructive criticism are appreciated.**

**~oOo~**

_**A Sweeter Essence**_

**~oOo~**

_July 2__nd__ 2009_

The amount of time that passed barely fazed the Section 4 chief. It would not do to track the number of ticking seconds while waiting for him, but instead to sternly direct all of her focus on the narrow alleyway she was certain he would emerge from. No one else could be as patient as Kirihara. She knew the practices of criminals. Their objectives were to flee undetected, unseen by witnesses. That was why she was sitting in this car that was not her own. Her team had entered the main doors of the hotel, and surely their man was making his way to another exit by now. She was ready for him. This was not BK201, who could escape using his grappling wires and moved faster than her eyes could follow. _That_ contractor had been inactive for several weeks now. Kirihara knew because she checked. Frequently.

She absentmindedly responded to the rumbling of her stomach by reaching into the passenger seat for the innocent bag of cheeseburgers. There were ten in total that were supposed to be split between her, Saito, and Kono. Without tearing her eyes from the alleyway, Kirihara unwrapped her first victim, sinking her teeth into the patty of beef, uncaring that the cold cheese stuck to the roof of her mouth and took another bite. After a few moments she reached for a second. Then a third.

Something moved in her peripheral vision.

"Chief," Saito's voice crackled through the radio. "We've got him!" Static cut sharply into his words.

Eyebrows rose into her hairline. So they hadn't needed her for this mission after all? Apprehending contractors was dangerous business, but her team was trained for these situations. She shouldn't be surprised. After barking a few orders into her mouthpiece, Kirihara finished the remainder of her dinner, covertly stuffing her cheeks like a chipmunk. She brushed herself off with ladylike dignity before exiting the vehicle, gun held ready.

Just as she predicted, their man, Messier Code SI661, had tried to make a break through the backdoor, where the hotel's deliveries were normally made. Had he gotten any farther Kirihara would have been there to ambush him. However, as she descended on the contractor held in the custody of her victorious team she quickly realized just how impossible a scenario that really was.

"He's dead." She glared something vicious at the lifeless body of a redheaded youth, as if she could revive him though intimidation even after death. Any information that could have been extracted from him was lost forever. "Hell." Kirihara gritted her teeth while roughly holstering her gun. SI661 was invaluable. She _knew_ he knew the identity of the Black Reaper… Lowering her eyes to inspect her dead witness' neck, she could just make out the faint indentions of wires.

~oOo~

Hei was stargazing while Yin watched. He admitted while the violet-eyed girl was not the best of company, neither was he, so they sat in silence. He counted the number of stars in the fake sky, giving up well into the start of the mundane task. Yin acknowledged Huang's approaching figure by opening her arms, and within seconds a black cat had leapt into her embrace. Mao's green eyes fixed on the contractor who lay on the park bench beside them, though said nothing and licked the last traces of rodent blood from his claws.

The conversation that followed was short-lived. Huang lit a cigarette, even offered one to Hei, who promptly refused. "You're certain the target has been eliminated?" his human partner asked, after inhaling deeply. The smoke rolled smoothly from his lips as he spoke.

"I took care of him." Hei paused, reflecting on how swiftly the youth had died. He could've barely been considered a man, and in no way imaginable a match for the Black Reaper. "Our secret is safe."

"And the policewoman? What's the status on her?"

"She's _livid_." His tone colored slightly with amusement.

Huang chuckled, a rare sound, and turned away. "Very good. Now, there's a ramen stand around the corner. Be a gentleman and treat Yin." Sarcasm heavily painted his every word, though he never meant to sound so crude. This was as playful as he would allow himself to be with a contractor. Forming attachments with co-workers was too painful.

Hei sat upright in response to that, considering Yin in a moment of wonder.

"Actually, I really want a cheeseburger."

~oOo~

_September 23__rd__ 2009_

November 11 sat opposite of Kirihara, drinking in the sight of her as well as his champagne. He honestly couldn't say that he wasn't attracted to his female companion for that evening, but this was neither the time nor the place to have such thoughts. He very much doubted she'd appreciate his compliments anyway. "Misaki," he drawled, bringing her attention around the room and slowly back to him. "You know, wealthy women do not have permanently creased foreheads. It's rather unbecoming."

Kirihara's brow smoothed, realizing what he was telling her to be the truth. She couldn't help it. Being a cop meant she was always prepared for the worst to happen. Going undercover was like pretending she was not aware of the looming danger. It was difficult for her to pass off as rich and carefree when in reality she was neither. November 11, on the other hand, looked about five seconds from falling asleep. She knew it to be a mere façade. Really, he was using all of his senses to scan the room constantly, the same as July. Having a doll on the alert made her feel a little more secure.

Adjusting one of the straps of her knee-length black dress (selection courtesy of Kanami) Kirihara fixed her male companion with a forced smile. Of course, they were being watched. They had to play the part of a couple, at least until the contractor arrived, another member of an organization November 11 said hired assassins to do their bidding, and a rival of BK201's. One way or another the Black Reaper was always connected to the disasters that plagued their city.

Her poor attempts at carelessness curved one corner of November's lips. She honestly needed some help letting her hair down, metaphorically speaking. The long brown tresses flowed freely in ringlets down her back. Were they in any other place - hell, were they any other _people_ - he would've fancied running his fingers through them.

"Sorry for the delay! We had a sudden switch in shifts. I can take your orders now!" A too cheerful and optimistic waiter chimed, digging into the pockets of his apron for a pen and pad. "My name is Li Shengshun. I'll be your server for the remainder of your dinner."

November 11 studied the shaggy-haired youth for a long moment before losing interest in him. "What would you like, _koibito_?" He enjoyed this Japanese language, especially as Kirihara blushed a brilliant red.

"Eh… some, uh…" she quickly scanned her menu, vainly trying to avoid eye contact with their new waiter. "Something greasy…" This was going terribly.

Li dipped his head to get a better look at her. "Misaki-san?" he whispered. "Is that you?" His dark blue irises lit up.

It was pointless to deny him an answer. Kirihara sat herself straighter in her chair, now smiling vibrantly. Only with Li she never had to force it.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, forgetting all about November's presence right behind him. "That hair-style really suits you." Li's face tinged a pink color and suddenly he was stammering like a schoolboy. "I – I thought about visiting you, but… maybe you've been busy and all…"

"Oh, not really." Kirihara giggled (_holy crap!_), shyly rubbing the back of her neck. "Just the usual stuff. Chasing bad guys. That's what I do." November 11 shot her an icy scowl. They were supposed to be undercover. Talking of her job was ruining everything. "I'll have the tempura."

Li mentally slapped himself and scribbled it down. "Right, and what about you, sir?"

Impressively he withstood a solid minute of November's dagger-like glare. "Yakitori. I don't particularly care for deep-fried foods."

Their waiter quickly wrote that down too. "Great! I'll take these menus off your hands." His fingers brushed Misaki's in the process, whether it was entirely accidental she could not figure. "I'll be back as soon as I can with your meal. Please enjoy your evening with your, um, _koibito_."

Kirihara bit her tongue to keep herself from correcting him. The experience was embarrassing enough. He waved good-naturedly before returning to the kitchen. The moment he vanished she exhaled heavily, allowing her slender shoulders to slump forward.

November 11 drummed his fingers upon the tabletop. "That was interesting, Misaki. I never had the impression that you were into the younger types. Don't protest. It won't help your case." He grinned wickedly. "He has a lot of damn nerve gawking at another man's date. And you encourage him, touching your neck like that. You two must have a history. Is it because he looks like bloody BK201?"

"_Jack_…" she hissed warningly.

"Because if I were the jealous boyfriend I might just be inclined to kill your little lover."

The policewoman's eyes widened fractionally in unconcealed alarm. No, she wouldn't stand for innocent Li-kun to be hurt…

"Huh. _Relax_. I was joking."

~oOo~

Mao was sitting on a window ledge, taking note of when Hei returned to the table of the Section 4 chief and the British MI-6 agent. He deduced that they were there for the same reasons. Hei handed the woman her seafood (which she accepted without a second's hesitation) and Mao observed. He was laying on the civilian act a bit thick today, giving her way too many glances, too many smiles.

"How's he doing?" Huang demanded, he and Yin maintaining out of the window's line of vision. "Is he keeping an eye on the target?" Meaning the contractor that was already seated on the very opposite end of the restaurant. His company consisted of several large, well-endowed men that surrounded him like a personal guard. There would be no getting at him this night.

"_Well?_"

The black cat yawned. "He's got his eye on a target, alright."

~oOo~

_January 5__th__ 2011_

Misaki could feel the chill of the evening right down to her bones, through the thick-layered wool of her winter coat. Still, she did not make any effort to search out a shelter of warmth. In order to find BK201 she must keep to the shadows, where less people wandered. The bucket of fried chicken was more or less her excuse to be walking about in the darkness. No one questioned her appetite.

He reappeared to her briefly a week ago, possibly be sheer accident, just at the moment she was certain she would never see him again. His star had continued to twinkle in the sky but perhaps his life in Japan was finished? For reasons deeper than Misaki cared to explore, that saddened her. There was a degree of grief, similar in magnitude to losing a close friend, like November. Ludicrous. She realized that she barely knew the man she called Li. He never really existed, therefore would never come back.

… BK201 _did_.

A harsh wind snapped at her cheeks. She held tightly to the bucket of chicken and continued to wait. To think Misaki was this willing to see the man who had lied to her about literally everything, who tried to _kill her_ even. She wondered what happened to Suoh, if the girl was no longer with BK201. Hopefully it was a happier place than where she had started.

Perhaps Misaki was not being rational. Maybe this was a mistake; yet, the thought of the Black Reaper being so near was a comfort. She felt safe, despite his history. He was _much_ more than a Messier Code.

"What are you doing?"

The policewoman yelped, so taken off guard by the voice in her ear that she nearly dropped dinner on the pavement, but her reflexes were exceptional whenever food was concerned. Still, her heart was beating erratically at a million miles an hour as she turned to regard the man in black, the unmistakable face of Li Shengshun. That was not his name, but addressing him as BK201 was far too impersonal for the man she once considered her friend.

He was so close that Misaki could feel the warmth that radiated from his being, drawing her near. Did he have a higher body temperature, or was this his use of those contractor powers? As soon as the question came to mind, she decided she didn't care at all. Either way it was a part of him, and she'd accept it simply as that. Their breath was visible in the cold air between them, mingling together so as she could not distinguish who's each belonged to. Her face flushed a bright pink, and prayed he thought it to be a reaction to the cold weather rather than the soft touch of his glove beneath her chin, urging their eyes to meet. The gentleness he emitted was unprecedented, as if she were something delicate that would break at the smallest twitch of his finger. Perhaps he sincerely believed that. At this moment, Kirihara was the only one in the world he could bring to show himself to again. He had lost everything that was important to him. His sorrow was practically overwhelming. The policewoman moved to put a respectful distance between them.

"I'm _hungry_," he abruptly declared, catching her thin wrist before she could pull away. His iron grip was unyielding.

Misaki, disheveled, offered him the bucket. "I bought plenty for both of us. I didn't know whether you liked fried chicken or not, but knowing your appetite…"

The gloved fingers tightened their hold considerably, almost to the point of discomfort. His lips pressed to her ear again, speaking in the same hushed, husky voice:

"I'm not talking about food."

And then he pulled her with him into the darkness.

~oOo~

**A/N: This was my practice run using these characters. First DTB fic ever. Please review if you feel up to it today. ^^**


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